Bangkok: The United States has expressed its willingness to engage in technical tariff negotiations with Thailand, as confirmed by Commerce Minister Supajee Suthamphan. This readiness follows a phone call from President Donald Trump to Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The discussions are set to continue soon, in coordination with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).
According to Thai News Agency, the trade cooperation between Thailand and the United States is progressing, as evidenced by the recent conversation between President Trump and Prime Minister Anutin on December 12th. The call, which included Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkaew and the U.S. Minister of Foreign Affairs, underscored the importance both nations place on maintaining peace and stability in the region. Prime Minister Anutin emphasized Thailand’s commitment to international law in safeguarding its sovereignty and security.
During the dialogue, President Trump inquired about the status of trade negotiations, reassuring Prime Minister Anutin of his commitment to expedite the talks. This afternoon, Minister Supajee met with senior U.S. Embassy officials in Thailand to stress the mutual benefits of accelerating trade negotiations. She highlighted the importance of separating security issues from trade matters to ensure the timely realization of economic benefits for both countries.
In a related meeting on November 11th, Supajee met with Mr. Ted Osius from the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council and over 40 U.S. businesspeople with investments in Thailand. The consensus from this meeting was a shared eagerness to hasten trade negotiations, thereby opening up investment opportunities and benefiting both U.S. businesses and consumers, particularly in areas like agricultural products.
Minister Supajee noted that the U.S. Department of State had informally informed her of plans to coordinate with the USTR for technical discussions with Thailand. This development is seen as a positive indication of the ongoing commitment to expand trade and investment relations between the two nations.